Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 package active dry yeast

4.5 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

stick butter, for pan

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Salt crystals/pretzel salt

 

Directions

Combine the warm water, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Allow to sit for several minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and mix until well combined. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for several minutes. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Use the stick butter to coat the surface of two large baking sheets. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

While the water and baking soda is coming to a boil, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Set aside.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, individually for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula and place them on the baking sheets.  If they are excessively soggy you may pat them dry with a paper towel.  Brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool and serve.  These taste exceptionally good with a cheese fondue to dip them in.

Tasting Notes: “Holiday Pairing”

Have a pricey bottle of wine you plan on opening during a holiday meal?  Maybe you should think twice about popping that cork.  Join Lauren Chalupsky-Cannon of The Secret Cellar and Nick Thornburg of Iowa Decanted as they discuss wine pairing for the holiday season.

‘Tasting Notes’ – Episode 1

When Iowa Decanted was conceptualized, one of the things we wanted to bring to our readers was a fun, friendly way to learn more about the world of wine.  With the help of Lauren Chalupsky-Cannon, wine expert and proprietor of The Secret Cellar in Shueyville, we’ve created a monthly program which breaks wine education and appreciation into bite-sized (and enjoyable) chunks.  So, sit back and enjoy the premiere episode of Tasting Notes!

DIY Twine Bucket

twine

I like to use baling twine to tie up my grapes.  Twine is cheap, easy to obtain, easy to use, and biodegradable.

But, it’s not that convenient to carry a roll or a handful of twine to the vineyard.  One false move and suddenly you’re getting tripped up in a tangled mess.

An easy way to handle this is to take a five gallon bucket and drill a 3/8ths hole in the side, a few inches from the top of the rim.  Put your bale of twine in the bucket, fish the twine from the inside of the bale through the hole in the bucket and put a lid on the bucket.  Now you’ll be able to pull out as much twine and you need without opening the bucket.  This method will keep the twine from tangling and keep it safe and dry.

Put the bucket in a convenient place in the vineyard and the supply of twine will always be handy.

Lift the bucket once in a while to make sure there is enough twine to use the next time you may need it.  You can also place a knife or shears in the bucket just in case you’re forgetful – it can save a lot of frustration if you don’t happen to pocket your small tools when you head out to the vineyard.  It can easily hold some wire fasteners and pliers as well.

One thing you’ll have to keep in mind is that the hole you drill should not be large enough for a mouse to squeeze through.  The last thing you want is a critter taking up residence in your vineyard.  Another tip: if the bucket is placed in the shade it will last longer.  The more sunlight it is exposed to the more brittle it becomes.  All told, the bucket should be good for several years.

Sautéd Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon or pancetta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium Red Potato, cut into thin wedges
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped1 Tablespoon of chopped Rosemary
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Lemon juice

Directions

Cook bacon or pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and crumple into medium sized bits with your fingers.

In same pan with bacon fat, melt butter over high heat.  Add the potato wedges and cook until they are beginning to brown.  Stir in Rosemary and cook until the potato wedges can be easily penetrated with a fork.

Add onions and Brussels Sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts begin showing some golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss bacon or pancetta back into pan.   Cover the dish with a spritz of lemon juice.  Serve immediately.

DIY Netting

netting-01

It is extremely frustrating when you are ready to pick your grapes and find out that birds have beaten you to the fruit.

Netting is one of the most effective ways to keep those birds off.  I use lighter netting that I can stretch over the vines.  If I stretch it tightly so that it doesn’t droop on the vines, the mesh is constricted in such a way that the edges of the net do not reach the ground.  But if the net is not stretched  the birds are able to sit in the loose folds of the net and easily reach my grapes.

I have two ways to deal with this.

I have steel posts in the vineyard to hold the top wire.  I take a 1 ½ inch diameter piece of PVC pipe about one foot long.  I drill a ¾ inch hole in one end and put a 30 inch piece of ½ inch plastic black water pipe through the hole.  I place the pipe on top of the steel post with the water pipe perpendicular to the row.  This holds the net up and away from the grapes so the birds can’t just sit on the net and eat to their heart’s content.

net support-01

I then buy a roll of plastic material used to hold large round hay bales together.  There are many thousands of feet of material that can be used for netting.  It is about 5 ½ to 6 feet wide.  I roll out the hay netting and fasten to the bottom of the nets stretched across my vines.  This hay netting is long enough to reach the ground, acting as an extension to my regular netting.  It the hay netting gets a hole from a critter like a raccoon it is not big deal and can be repaired or replaced with little time, effort and cost.

Not only can this inexpensive hay netting be used as an extension to regular netting, it can also be a good alternative for regular netting.  Keep in mind that several lengths will have to be used to stretch over a grapevine.

I have used this hay netting to hang from electric fences so that deer can see the fence.  I just used plastic zip ties to hold it to the wire.  This deters the deer to some degree since they will avoid obstacles they can see, particularly one that moves and flutters in the breeze.

If you are careful you can roll up the hay netting and reuse it the next year if it is not badly damaged.  If it is too far gone just roll it up and recycle.   But be sure to not leave any netting behind which can be wrapped up in a mower, that’ll just turn our little money-saver into a bigger hassle then you want!

Simple Savory Spaghetti Squash

squash-01

Simple Savory Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
¼ Cup of grated Asiago cheese
1 tbsp chopped basil leaves
1 garlic clove, minced

Heat the oven to 450 degrees .

Take half of the olive oil and brush it over the cut sides of the squash.  Salt and pepper lightly.  Lay the squash cut side down in a baking dish and roast on the middle shelf of the oven until tender, 25-30 minutes.

When squash is tender, remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes cut side up.

Use a fork to shred the innards of the squash into a large bowl.  If the squash is still too warm to handle, use a dish towel or an oven mitt to keep your hands from burning.

Drain off any liquid from the shredded squash and stir in the grated Asiago, basil, the garlic, and the rest of the olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Pairing tip

Try pairing this with a dry white wine, perhaps something that has undergone a secondary fermentation and barrel aging, like Cedar Ridge Winery’s Candlelight.

DIY Airblast Sprayer

diy_airblast

Air blast sprayers are an essential tool for larger vineyards, used primarily to spread pesticides over large areas in an efficient manner.

They consist of two major components – a high volume fan and a misting device.  Multiple ports located at the end of the mister allow for escaping liquid to be separated into smaller particles and blown in several directions simultaneously.  These particles are then driven deep into the canopy and deposited on both sides of the air buffeted leaves.

It is the only cost effective way to make sure all leaves and surfaces are coated with spray, and it can make all the difference when treating for fungicides or pests.

Traditional Air blast sprayers can cost thousands which can leave them out of the financial reach of smaller vineyards or orchards.  But with a little know-how, small-timers can have the same type of air blast sprayer for a fraction of the cost.

An economical air blast sprayer can be made by taking an off-the-shelf leaf blower and placing the nozzle of a small pump sprayer or electric tank sprayer in front of the air stream.  The air blast is uni-directional, but it has the same effect as the big boys.

I mounted my gas powered leaf blower by suspending it from a chain connected to a tractor umbrella, and I carry my 15 gallon electric sprayer in my tractor scoop.  The nozzle of the sprayer is secured to the underside of the blower with zip ties.  Then, it’s only a matter of starting my blower and setting the speed of the motor.  I am able to squeeze the handle of the sprayer and the spray is blown in front of the air blast and propelled towards my target.  I control the direction by moving the handle up or down or back or forth.  The tractor allows me to drive along and spray where it is needed.

On occasion  I am unable to reach some vines or apple trees.  When this happens I unhook the sprayer and take the electric sprayer nozzle off.  I then carry the leaf blower along with a small hand held pump sprayer.  I put the spray from the small pump in front of the blower and blow the pesticide into the vines or trees.

I suggest that you test your sprayer by putting cardboard into the canopy and spraying water to test the direction and penetration of the spray.  Water particles can be seen easily on cardboard making it easy to see how well the sprayer is functioning.

Using an air blower is an efficient and cost-effective method of spreading pesticides.  The job will be done quicker and with much less pesticides, since the particles of spray are smaller and penetrate deeper.  Be sure to read and follow your pesticide directions.  Take care and Watch out for drift.

This simple blower can be used by large and small operators alike.  If growers have a small treatment area and don’t have the resources  to start up the big air blaster it’s an easy solution, and one that won’t empty the pocket book.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad with Pita Crisps

tomato_cucumber

Morgan Hoenig, of MoGo Organic in Mt. Pleasant, provided this recipe, featuring produce easily found in Iowan gardens.  “It’s a good recipe for this time of year because many people are overwhelmed with tomatoes and cucumbers in August,” says Morgan.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Pita Crisps

2 parts cucumber, chopped
2 parts tomato, chopped
1 part onion, chopped
2 splashes of red wine vinegar
1 splash of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Mix in bowl.  Let flavors meld together for an hour or so before serving.
Best if allowed to sit over night.

Pita Crisps

4 whole wheat pita breads
olive oil cooking spray, or extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt & ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425F.

Cut pitas into 4 triangles each. Separate each triangle into 2 halves at the fold. Arrange, rough side up, on a baking sheet. Spritz lightly with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper Bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes

Pairing Tip

Experiment and try this recipe out with lighter-bodied wines.  The acidity of a dry Edelweiss will fare well with the balance of the dish, and the fruit-forwardness of the varietal should complement the bright cucumber flavors as well.